Little Expenses Ch. 07 - END

I was awakened by a blinding light. "Am I in heaven?" I thought. But no, it was a familiar light. I had experienced it before. I sat up, sitting on the floor, as the tremendous light faded. I was in a transparent booth, and through it, as if in deja vu, I saw the figures of Hugh and the government reduction center agent. Immediately something caught my attention. They were no longer giants! That could only be because...
The agent walked over, opened the door to the booth and held out a hand to help me up. I stepped out and Hugh immediately held out a shirt and pants. Realizing that I was naked, I immediately got dressed, embarrassed. The agent pointed to a piece of paper in Hugh's hand and said:
-Well, that's done then. As soon as you destroy the contract, Thomas will be a normal citizen again, with all his rights.
Hugh, with an expressionless face, calmly tore the paper to shreds and threw it into a wastebasket. My heart was pounding, I was human again! The agent then said goodbye and left through an adjoining door. I looked at Hugh, still stunned. He looked back at me, with the same inscrutable expression, and said only, as he turned away:
-I just couldn't do it...
He then walked out into the center's parking lot and motioned for me to follow him. When he reached the car, he stopped and said to me with a grim expression:
-Parker will kill me if he finds out about this. Eventually I'll tell him, but for now I'm going to make him think I got rid of you. I need you to disappear for a while... -I agreed, still dazed and overwhelmed by the situation. He continued: -I talked to your brother Roger -I was about to say something, but he stopped me with a gesture-. Yes, I know you're not very close, but I told him you needed a place to stay for a while and he agreed to let you go to his house. Here are some clothes -he showed me a travel tuşba escort bag in the trunk-. There's also your laptop and cell phone. I bought you a bus ticket, so get in and I'll take you to the station!
I nodded and got into the car. It was really quite unfair that Hugh was still running my life that way, but I was so grateful that he had allowed me to live and had brought me back to my size that I wholeheartedly accepted everything he asked of me. My older brother Roger and I didn't really get along badly, but we had hardly had any contact for several years. He was a rather odd, introverted guy, had been retired for a couple of years and had gone to live in a small town in the country. I assumed that was where I was now going.
During the car ride, which didn't take long, I didn't dare speak, still taking in the situation, and Hugh didn't make the slightest comment either. When we arrived at the station, we both got out of the car and my still-husband said to me:
-Don't worry, I want to make things right. We'll get a proper divorce, sell the house and you'll get your share. Please don't try to contact me. I will email you the papers.
He was going to go back to the car, but he seemed to hesitate and, looking down, said to me:
-I'm sorry for everything that has happened. I really wouldn't have wanted things to be this way....
I, following an impulse, took his hand. I couldn't help thinking that until that morning my whole body had fit perfectly in that big hand. Squeezing it a little, I told him warmly:
-Thank you, Hugh... thank you for letting me live... I heartily wish you a very happy life!
He was completely taken aback by my words and, for a few seconds, seemed to resist letting go of my hand. Finally, he gave me one last look and, abruptly and without answering anything, he got into the car and tüyap escort drove off.
When I arrived at my brother's cottage, Roger greeted me rather half-heartedly. He told me that he hoped I wasn't involved in anything illegal and that, if I wanted to earn my keep, I would have to help him with his farm chores. I assured him that he had nothing to worry about and that I would, of course, help him with anything he asked me to do. I was determined to start a new life and I would get along with my brother no matter what it took.
Roger lived on his pension, but as it was quite meager, he owned several vegetable gardens and earned some extra income by selling the produce he grew. I soon began to do chores in these gardens, following my brother's instructions. I always hated the countryside, but at that moment I wanted to keep Roger happy and, on the other hand, taking care of the gardens from sunrise to sunset helped me not to think too much about the traumas I had experienced in the last few weeks. And I couldn't help, despite all that had happened, thinking about my adored Hugh every minute of the day.
Thus began a new and simple existence for me. My brother, as soon as he saw that I was working hard and not complaining, became much more cordial, and life there became pleasant and bearable for me, especially considering what my day-to-day life had been like for the past few months. My troubled mind seemed to regain a little calm. However, I did not have much time to enjoy it. A little over two weeks had passed when one morning, while I was digging some holes in the vegetable garden, I heard a car pull up to the house. It was Hugh's car! Had he come to bring me the divorce papers? Hadn't he told me he was going to email them to me?
I walked over to the car as Hugh got out of it. I asked him:
-Hugh, what are you doing here? tuzla escort I thought you were going to send the papers...
He interrupted me with a gesture and said very slowly and with a pleading expression:
-I've come for you, darling, I love you, I want you to come back to me!
I was so stunned that for a moment I didn't know what to say. He continued:
-Tom, the moment I left you at that bus station, something broke inside me. For the next few days I felt nothing but a tremendous emptiness that grew bigger and bigger... until I realized... Baby, I need you! I can't live without you! Please tell me you'll come back! -he begged.
-But... but... -I hesitantly objected-. And Parker? -He twisted his face and said:
-My thing with Parker was just a stupid illusion. I guess I was infatuated that a man who could be my son could fall in love with me. Besides, you were right, he's not a good person. And I have to apologize, Tom... I beg you, forgive me for not believing you! For the terrible words I said to you! For almost killing you!... God, just to think that one more second and I would have crushed you forever... I... I...
The memory seemed to conjure up such a dreadful image in him that he broke down completely and began to cry. I was so moved that, without even thinking about it, I rushed to embrace him. I comforted him for a while and then pulled away and looked into his eyes:
-Hugh, darling, all is forgiven. And know that I also blame myself for everything that happened. After all, I'm the one who got us into this with my silly idea of shrinking.
-So... will you come back with me? -he asked shakily.
-Of course, baby, I love you too, more than my life! And I've missed you so much!...
A huge smile lit up his beautiful face through the tears and, without further ado, we kissed passionately. After a while of cuddling, Hugh let go of me and said happily:
-Come on, little mouse, let's go home!
And that affectionate nickname sent a shiver down my spine, which, however, at that moment I did not know whether it was fear or pleasure....
THE END